While President Barack Obama doesn’t seem terribly offended by Hamas rockets landing all over Israel, US Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) has spoken out clearly, condemning Hamas efforts to murder Israeli civilians as being war crimes .
In an interview with Qatari’s al-Jazeera network, Sherman defended Israel’s moral and legal right to respond to the rocket fire, and also attacked the network for blatant anti-Israel stances.
“Every one of those rockets is a war crime, almost every one. Every rocket that is not aimed at a military target, but is instead aimed at a civilian target or just a city, is a war crime. Of course, it’s a war crime committed by Hamas and of course the owners of this TV network help fund Hamas. So I am very proud that Israel … immediately after the death, the tragic death, of that Arab teenager, used all of its resources to try to investigate and incarcerate those who were responsible.
“In contrast, it is very hard to find any Arab government, or any Arab authority, that has been willing to arrest, extradite or punish anyone for killing a Jew. Because, all too often, among Israel’s enemies, it is open season on those of the Jewish faith. In fact, those who murder the most Israeli civilians are the ones for whom squares are named, whose names are celebrated, whose families are rewarded. This is a bizarre response …
“The idea that you would have a TV station funded and owned by those who fund Hamas, and Hamas would use all of its efforts in a clear effort to kill as many Israeli civilians as possible and you would say on this TV station say, ‘It isn’t a war crime, because it’s not successful, the rocket didn’t hit a kindergarten, it was aimed at kindergarten, but it didn’t hit a kindergarten, so then its not reprehensible’ …
“[Asked if Israel has overreacted to Hamas killing of the teenagers] I think Israel’s response is proportionate. I don’t think there’s always two sides to every story. Those who are trying to kill as many babies, children and women as possible and who rejoice in their death — that’s not one side, and then the other side, which prosecute those who engage in wrongful death, that’s not ‘Oh well, there’s merit on both sides.’ No, you have one side in this conflict who is doing everything it possibly can to reduce and avoid civilian casualties and to prosecute those act against civilians, and then you have the Hamas side … which Qatar supports, that rejoices in how many babies they can kill, how many children they can kill, they names squares and provide subsidies to those who are able to kill civilians and thy aim their rocket at civilian targets. That’s not two equal sides.” (‘Sherman Blasts Al Jazeera on Al Jazeera,’ Youtube, July 11, 2014).
In response to the interview, the Zionist Organization of America praised the congressman for his brave stance.
“Congressman Sherman rightly and incisively dismantled the absurd and hypocritical argument of Hamas supporters that Israel is committing war crimes when of course it is Hamas, a terrorist organization that calls for the global murder of Jews, that is committing war crimes by kidnapping and murdering and deliberately firing missiles at civilians, whose deaths they ghoulishly celebrate,” said ZOA President Morton A. Klein in a statement.
“Congressman Sherman also took Al-Jazeera to task for this and thus being an accomplice to Hamas’ crimes. He also sharply pointed out that the idea that ‘there are two sides to every story’ ignores the vast moral disparity between Israel, that has been stirred into action to defend its people from kidnappers and murderers, and Hamas, that has as its raison d’être the murder of every Jew on earth.
“Congressman Sherman deserves to be recognized and praised also for taking Al Jazeera to task for being owned by the Qatari regime which funds Hamas and thus is an accomplice to its crimes. The notion that ‘there are two sides to every story’ ignores in this case the vast moral disparity between one side, that has been stirred into action to defend its people from kidnappers and murderers, and another that has as its raison d’être the murder of every Jew on earth.
“Congressman Sherman has performed a public service in speaking these truths on al Jazeera and we commend him for it,” said the ZOA statement.